In the Line Of Duty
by Bucken-Berry
Summary: An injury forces George and Elliot to confront a truth they'd rather not know.


Notes: Some stuff is actually said in episodes, others I just added to.

Disclaimer: don't own. Want proof? Huang isn't the center of every episode and he and Elliot haven't had sex on screen yet. Obviously, I don't own it.

Elliot punched a wall in frustration. The case was the most difficult they'd had in a long time. He couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten, let alone slept.

Cragen came out of his office.

"Shouldn't Huang have been here already? I called him an hour ago. He said he was evaluating a prisoner and he should be here in a half hour." Elliot swallowed nervously. For George to be late wasn't a good sign at all. Just as the thought left his head, Olivia confirmed his suspicions.

"Cap, that was a fed. Huang's not going to be able to come."

"What happened?"

"He was injured on the job."

"How bad?"

"They didn't say. Just that he's at Bellevue." Elliot felt like he was watching from afar. He turned on his heels and walked out of the room.

"Where you going, Elliot?" Olivia asked. He didn't answer.

"I'm here to see George Huang." He told the nurse at the front desk. She nodded.

"He's being admitted overnight. His room is number 535." He walked there nervously.

"George, what happened?" He asked when he saw his lover.

"Elliot, the prisoner… he snuck in a makeshift knife- a sharpened toothbrush. He stabbed me, pretty close to my heart. He barely missed."

"How are you not in surgery right now?"

"Didn't hit anything. I'll be fine but they're going to keep me overnight to check." Elliot sat down on his lover's bed and kissed him gently.

"I was terrified for you, George." He nodded. Elliot noticed George looked like he was about to say something important.

"George, you shouldn't stress yourself out." George shook his head.

"I shouldn't, but I need to." Elliot sighed and laid down next to George, putting his arms around him. George put his head on Elliot's shoulder before he started talking.

"You know how cops like you realize, one way or the other, that you'll end up dying because of your job? Maybe a firefight with a perp, or something similar." Elliot nodded, encouraging George to continue. George began again.

"Well, I feel something similar. No, don't interrupt!" He added when Elliot opened his mouth.

"It kind of started the first time I got attacked. I told Olivia this story a few years ago when that man was killing people she helped. I was talking to a psychopath, and I failed to notice that he was trying to time it right so he could kill me. I barely survived. He was just like Brodus. He timed a guard change, bashed my head against a wall. This guy got farther than Brodus did, though. He put me in a coma for a month." He paused, then continued,

"I was still young then, and I thought it was a one-time thing because I missed the warning signs. Then the Brodus fiasco happened and I just realized, going to my job is like walking into a pack of wolves. I'm going to end up being killed by one of these guys- maybe not next time, but eventually."

"Then why don't you quit?" George gave a quiet sigh.

"Could you quit the NYPD? You know that you could be killed, and you almost have many times. Gitano, Schenkel, and Bushido, just to name a few people who almost succeeded. You've almost been killed so many times, but you keep going back. Why? You and I both know. It's because it's what you identify with, what you've devoted your whole life to."

"But I can't do this without you."

"I can't stand the thought of living without you either. But, either you're going to attend my funeral because of me getting attacked, or I'm going to attend your funeral because of you getting attacked."

Elliot took in a deep breath. There wasn't a whole lot he could say to that. He wondered for a moment if George might be depressed, but he shook the thought from his head. Being with George for so long had taught him a thing or two, and he knew George wasn't depressed. But it still worried him. Because he knew it was true. And there wasn't a lot to say to that. He pulled George even closer to him and set his head against his.

"I love you no matter what, my love." He whispered in George's ear. George turned around so that he was facing Elliot.

"I love you, Elliot. I'm sorry I'm so…" Elliot pressed his finger to George's lips.

"It's ok." George nodded. He placed his head against Elliot's chest, listening to the heartbeat.

"Your heartbeat is fast." George said with a slight smile.

"You have that effect on me. You make me feel like I'm a teenager again."

"In a good way?"

"Everything you make me feel is good." George sighed.

"You make me feel better than good. Better than anything." Elliot kissed his forehead.

"You should sleep, George."

"I… well…" He sighed. Elliot took a guess at what he was feeling and what to do.

"I'll stay with you until you wake up. I promise." He didn't need to be a shrink to know that after admitting their dread to each other, being physically apart would be painful.

"Thank you, Elliot. I love you." George said against his chest.

"I love you George." Elliot murmured back.


End file.
